29 July 2016
Collects
Prayers developed from the daily readings
Friday 29 July 2016
Morning Prayer
Psalm 69: 1 – 16
This psalmist is a lowly
servant of the Lord and through zeal has done something that causes him to be
the butt of jokes and ridicule. The psalmist is fasting and in sackcloth. He
pleads for deliverance and praises God.
Hosea 4: 10 – 5: 4
Israel and all her
leaders and priests are unfaithful. They run after other God’s. Their focus is
on consumption. This spirit is within them and they are not with God.
John 9: 39 – 10: 18
Jesus says that he has come
in judgement that the people who are blind may see and those that see become
blind. The Pharisees protest. Jesus tells them that by saying “we see” they are
indeed blind.
Jesus uses a metaphor of
the Good Shepherd to explain. There is a sheep pen and one legitimate way to
get in. Anyone who jumps the fence does not have the sheep’s interest at heart.
Jesus enters the correct way and the gate is opened for him to take the sheep
to the good pasture. Only Jesus’ sheep recognise him and follow.
He moves the metaphor now
so it is from the sheep’s perspective. As far as they are concerned Jesus is
their way out – he is their gate to the green pasture, to life in abundance.
Anyone else leads the sheep to destruction – they are thieves and bandits.
He now compares “the good
shepherd” to other shepherds – what does it take to be “good”? The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep and does not run away when danger
approaches. It is his concern for all sheep, including some from other
sheepfolds. All sheep will become one flock under one shepherd.
God loves Jesus because he
will willingly lay down his life and he will take it up again as his father,
God has commanded.
Collect for Morning Prayer
Paddle boarders Cape Le Grand National Park WA L Osburn |
Friday 29 July 2016
Evening Prayer
Psalm 69: 17 – 23 (24 – 30) 31
– 38
The psalmist praises the Lord
and is suffering from insults and dishonour. When he goes for counsel and
support the response is bitter, and heart-breaking – no real compassion. The
psalmist is very angry, he wants God’s wrath to destroy and punish, but he
leaves that anger with and for God. The psalmist praises God, who unlike a God
in the form of a bull, will listen. The psalmist ends in praise and a plea to
God to come quickly.
Ezekiel 40: 1 – 5 and 42:
15 – 43: 12
Ezekiel has a vision
where he is taken to a hill and there is a messenger beside him with measuring
implements. The messenger measures the dimension of the temple. Then Ezekiel,
in his vision is lifted into the temple, sees the Glory of God returning to the
temple and hears God’s voice saying that the temple is where God connects to
the earth. Ezekiel is charged to tell the people the dimensions of the temple
to be built.
Romans 6: 1 – 11
Paul reminds us that
through baptism in Christ we need to consider ourselves dead to sin and
therefore not a slave to sin anymore. We are alive in Christ and walking in
newness of life. He charges us to sin no more and walk in newness of life
gained for us by Christ’s death and resurrection.
Collect for Evening Prayer
Quietly reflecting Cape Le Grand National Park WA L Osburn |
God at the
centre of our lives who sends messengers, prophets and your own son to us keep
our focus on you. Be with us now as we reflect on Christ’s death and
resurrection that frees us from sin forever. Help us every moment to choose
newness of life and the freedom that comes from your great gift of grace
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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